The daughter of Waterford woman Meg Walsh has said she offered to help her step-father last year because she 'needed him to tell her what he had done to her mother.'
Sasha Keating was giving evidence to the Central Criminal Court at the trial of John O'Brien for the murder of his wife Meg Walsh in October 2006.
Mr O'Brien denies the charge.
Meg Walsh was last seen on Sunday 1 October 2006. Her body was found in the River Suir on 15 October.
Her 18-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, Sasha Keating, gave evidence of receiving a phone call from her stepfather, John O'Brien, on 14 October.
He told her he was back in the house and asked her if she wanted to collect anything. She asked if she could take all her mother's stuff - he said she could.
Under cross examination, Ms Keating said she sent a text message to John O'Brien's sister, Teresa, in July last year. She said she sent it at around 3.30am after a lot of drink had been taken.
The text read: ‘I'm the only one who wants to help ye. John is still my stepfather, believe it or not, I want to help him. I really hate to see anyone in this state, will you listen.’
Sasha Keating told the court today she sent it because she was afraid John O'Brien was in such a state he would do something to himself.
‘I couldn't live with not knowing what happened to my mother,’ she said. ‘I needed him to tell me what he did to her.’ She said the next morning she was sorry she had sent the text.
Earlier the court heard evidence from Ricky Farrell, who lived in the house directly behind Meg Walsh and John O'Brien. He said he saw Meg Walsh in an upstairs room in her house at around midday on Sunday 1 October - he said she appeared to be putting clothes away.
The court also heard from Harry Condon, who found Ms Walsh's body in the River Suir on 15 October. He knew Ms Walsh and had brought his boat out to search for her. He said she was floating face down and he recognised her by her hair.
